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Sham Mamoun, a Year 10 student at
the Manchester Health Academy, has spent her Christmas holiday
visiting the homeless who have fled from the conflict in Syria or
are victims of the effects of the bombings of towns in the ongoing
conflict in the country.

This festive period, Sham travelled
into the war zones with charity Syria Relief on a humanitarian
mission and arranged to take with her over 200 letters written by
students at the Manchester Health Academy to children in the
refugee camps. Once in the camps Sham distributed the letters and
brought back replies from the Syrian children.

Sham came to the UK in 2010 and has dedicated her free time to
raising awareness of the plight of the people in her native Syria
and in raising funds to support them. She was nominated to work
with RECLAIM, an organisation which supports young people at
critical times in their lives and helps them to develop their
confidence and leadership skills.

In September Sham won the Diana Award, (National Citizen of the
Year) which was presented to her in London by Prime Minister David
Cameron. The award was established as a lasting legacy to Princess
Diana's belief that young people have the power to change the
world. It recognises the work of young people in changing
perceptions of our youth and our community for the better, and
their part in inspiring others to do the same and to take a role as
leaders for the causes they believe in.

Sham is now working as an ambassador for the Diana Award and
hopes to one day work for the United Nations to raise awareness of
international issues and support actions to change lives for the
better. At the Academy, she hopes that here peers are inspired
through her determination and commitment to making a
difference.